Mobile ballast treating and rail fastening element engaging tool unit

ABSTRACT

A mobile track working unit comprises a ballast plow and a tool for connecting or disconnecting ferrous rail fastening elements attaching the rails to the ties.

United States Patent Plasser et a1. 1 1 Mar. 27, 1973 [54] MOBILEBALLAST TREATING AND RAIL FASTENING ELEIVIENT [56] References CitedENGAGING TOOL UNIT UNITED STATES PATENTS [76] Inventors: Franz Plasser;Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgrasse 3 Vienna 1, Aw 2,997,001 8/1961Scheuchzer 104 2 tria 3,286,648 11/1966 Brosnan ..104/2 3,610,15810/1971 Eidemanis ..104/17 R [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1970 PrimaExaminer-Gera1d M. Forlenza 21 A 1.N.:96706 1 pp 0 AssistantExaminer-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney-Kurt Kelman [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Dec. 17, 1969 Austria ..11757 [57] ABSTRACT Amobile track working unit comprises a ballast plow [52] US. Cl. ..104/17 R, 37/104 and a f connecting or disconnecting ferrous rail [51 lift.Cl ..E01b 27/00, E011) 29/28 fastening elements attaching the rails tothe flea [58] Field of Search .....104/1, 2, 17; 173/57; 37/104,

37/105; 227/156 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MOBILE BALLAST TREATING ANDRAIL FASTENING ELEMENT ENGAGING TOOL UNIT The present invention relatesto mobile track working apparatus arranged to move on the track in aselected working direction, and more'particularly to an apparatus forplowing the ballast and simultaneously working on the ferrous railfastening elements attaching the two rails of the track to a successionof ties resting on the ballast.

In our U. S. applications Ser. Nos. 865,886 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,461and 865,929, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,358 both filed Oct. 13, 1969, wehave proposed incorporating working tools for rail fastening elements ina track renewal apparatus which continuously advances while removing anold track and laying a new track, as disclosed, for instance, in our U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,219, dated July 11, 1967, and No. 3,521,565, datedJuly 21, 1970, or our U. S. application Ser. No. 849,406, now U.S. Pat.No. 3,604,358 filed Aug. 12, 1969. In our U. S. application Ser. No.74,716, filed Sept. 23, 1970, entitled Method and Apparatus for theContinuous Replacement of an Old Track by a New Track," we havedisclosed the incorporation of a ballast treating means in such a trackrenewal apparatus. Such a track renewal apparatus works like a movingconveyor band and leaves between the respective points where the oldtrack is picked up and the new track is laid a trackless ballast bedwhich must be evened before the new track is laid.

Even this automated and continuous track renewal operation takes arelatively long time so that regular train service on the track sectionis severely impaired. Therefore, it often becomes necessary to runtrains over the newly laid track even before it has been fullycompleted, i.e., before the ballast has been tamped so as to fix thetrack in its desired position. This, of course, means that the maximumspeed of a train moving over such a track section must be curtailed tomeet safety requirements, such slow train movements interfering with theover-all train service.

It is accordingly the primary object of this invention to provide amobile apparatus which is capable of finishing a newly laid track sothat it is goodand safe enough for trains to run over it at relativelyhigh speeds.

The above and other objects and advantages are accomplished inaccordance with the invention with an apparatus which comprises a mobileunit including a ballast plow means and tool means for working on therail fastening elements. The ballast plow means and the tool means aremounted on a common car frame for common movement in the workingdirection. Such a mobile unit provides a novel and technologicallyvaluable combination of two fundamentally different track maintenancemeans.

During a track renewal operation of the above-indicated type, theballast is evened in the trackless section intermediate the old and newtracks, and the excess ballast resulting from the ballast smoothing ismoved laterally, preferably to be used in filling the cribs of the newlylaid track. By using the apparatus of the present invention in such anoperation, the rails of the new track are fastened onits ties at thesame time that the ballast bed for the new track is prepared, includingthe ballast preparation at the ends of the ties laterally of the track,which considerably increases the resistance to any lateral trackdeformation due, for instance, to temperature influences on newrailswhich are not fixed in position. In this manner, the newly laidtrack is firmly secured in a single stage of operation and is ready toreceive traffic at relatively high speed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the plowmeans comprises a pair of vertically adjustable plows associated with arespective rail. Each plow had adjustable plowshares operable over theballast bed between the rails and laterally adjacent the rails. The toolmeans comprises tools for connecting and disconnecting the railfastening elements of the respective rails, and a drive motor means isprovided for the operation of the tools. The plows and tools are mountedon and underneath the common car frame between the front and rearrunning gears thereof.

With such a plow arrangement, it is possible simultaneously to fill thetrack cribs with ballast and to finish the lateral strips of the ballastbed adjacent the track so that the newly laid track has a high stabilityimmediately after being laid while, at the same time, being prepared forthe subsequent tamping operation, at which time the rail fastening meansare tightened and sufficient ballast must be present at the points ofintersection between the rails and the: ties to enable an effectiveballast tamping operation to be performed.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention,means is provided for propelling the unit in the selected workingdirection, as well as control means for synchronizing the movement ofthe unit along the track with the operation of the plow and tool means.Hydraulic drive means for this purpose are preferred.

In this manner, the apparatus may be used independently in any type oftrack renewal or track laying operation.

If the plow means according to another feature of this invention isselectively adjustable for plowing the ballast in the selected workingdirection, the unit may be used independently or in tandem with tampingor ballast cleaning machines, the tool means for disconnecting orconnecting the rail fastening elements being spaced fromthe plow meansin the selected direction and being positioned in front or rearwardlythereof in dependence on this direction. This makes the unit readilyadaptable for all types of track maintenance work, such astrack layingor tamping. t

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description of anow preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a mobile track working apparatus according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section of the apparatus along line 11-11of FIG. 1, showing two different The mobile track working apparatuscomprises a car frame I which has front and rear running gears 2 and 3moving the car frame on the track rails in a selected working directionindicated by arrow 6. The car frame 1 of the apparatus has a platformsupporting new ties 4 for the new track to be laid, and is coupled toother working cars 1, 1", respectively, forming part of a track renewaltrain such as disclosed and claimed, for instance, in the U. S. Pat. andpatent applications mentioned hereinabove. In such a track renewalsystem, the car platform may also support the old rails 5 which havebeen picked up and removed from the ballast bed by a forward section ofthe track renewal train (not shown), the newly laid track extendingbehind the illustrated apparatus in a direction opposite to that ofarrow 6. Thus, the apparatus runs on a just laid track section(indicated in the right half of FIG. 1) wherein the new ties 4 have beenlaid on a leveled portion of the ballast bed and the fastening elementsare being connected to secure the rails 7, 7' to ties 4. FIG. 3 clearlyillustrates the excess ballast 8 accumulated along the lateral strips ofthe ballast bed adjacent the tie ends during leveling of the ballastbefore the track is actually laid.

An operating and control stand 9 is arranged under the platform of thecar frame 1 for visual observation of the working tool 13 and the plowmeans 14, as indicated by the eye and sight lines, so that an operatorplaced on the stand may actuate the same under visual observation. Thecontrol panel 10 is placed in front of the operator and includesconventional control means for synchronizing the operation of the plowand tool, the control panel being connected to a hydraulic drive 11 bycontrol lines 12.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the ballast plow means 14 comprises a pair ofplows 14', 14" associated respectively with rails 7, 7'. Each plow issupported on the car frame 1 by a hydraulic motor 15for verticaladjustment in relation to the ballast bed. Furthermore, each plow hasplowshares 16' 17' (and 16", 17") which are pivotal parallel to theplane of the track, the plowshare 16' (16") working on the ballast bedbetween the rails while the plowshare 17' (17'') works on thelongitudinal ballast bed strip extending laterally of the track rails,i.e., along the edge of the ballast bed or between two tracks. Thelatter plowshare may be further adjusted in a plane extendingtransversely of and vertically to the track plane so that theplowshare'may contact obliquely extending portions of the ballast bed(as shown at 17" in FIG. 2).

A center plate 18' (18") bridges the associated rail and has a cut-out19 receiving the rail, a roller 20 being mounted in the cut-out to guidethe center plate on the rail, and the two plowshares of the plow beinghinged to the center plate for pivotal adjustment in relation thereto.

The plowshares I7, 17" have two mutually adjustable plowshare parts toenable the same to be adjusted in accordance with the desired ballastbed profile, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The outer part of theplowshares 17, 17' may be vertically adjusted by a roller guide 21 atleast by the height of a tie and may be adjusted in the direction oftrack elongation by drive 32.

Each plow is suspended by a parallelogram linkage 22 which is connectedto a hydraulic motor 23 to adjust the plow in the direction of trackelongation The plowshares are pivotal over a relatively large are sothat they may work in both directions indicated by arrows 24, 25.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ferrous fastening elements for therails include threaded bolts and/or nuts so that the tool means 13 isconstituted by wrenches 27, 27 arranged to tighten the bolts or nuts,the illustrated tool being a twin wrench designed to work on twoadjacent ties simultaneously. Obviously, if spikes were used, thewrenches would be replaced by spike drivers. The tool holders 28, 28'are adjustable in the direction of track elongation to keep the wrenchesproperly positioned. The tool means 13 is mounted on a carriage 29 whichis vertically adjustably mounted on the car frame. The carriage is alsolongitudinally adjustable by means of chain drive 30 and may also betransversely adjustable for working in track curves by means of rollers31 supported in transverse guides.

All the working parts of the apparatus are mounted underneath the carframe platform and may be visually observed from stand 9 where thecontrol panel 10 is located for operation of the common drive 11 whichactuates the drives 15, 23, 32 and 30 for the plows and wrenches, thecontrol panel including control means 34 for actuating selectedoperations of the working parts.

The apparatus provides a plow and a working tool for each rail, andthese working parts are longitudinally adjustable in relation to eachother as well as in relation to the car frame by being mounted inlongitudinally extending guides 33 on the car frame platform.

The wrenches 13 are arranged forwardly of the plows 14 in the workingdirection so secure the rails to the ties while the apparatus advancesin the direction of arrow 6. During the work time of the wrenches, theoperation temporarily holds the wrenches in position while the car framemoves relatively thereto, which is possible by the gliding engagement ofthe wrench carriage in guide 30. Proper operation of the controlsenables the operator to synchronize all movements and working phases sothat the rail is successively fastened to the ties as the apparatusadvances. Meanwhile, the excess ballast 8' is engaged by the rearwardlyarranged plow means and the outer plowshares thereof level this excessballast and move it inwardly into the cribs of the newly laid track aswell as adjacent to the ends of the ties. The inner plowsharesimultaneously level the central portion of the ballast bed so that theentire bed is shaped to its desired profile.

In this condition, the newly laid track is well prepared for asubsequent ballast tamping operation which is preceded by a furthertightening of the rail fastening means and during which the ballast inthe cribs is tamped under the ties, particularly at the points ofintersection of the ties and the rails. The newly laid track is alsowell prepared for any subsequent lining operation since the ballast atthe tie ends well fixes the track in its lateral position, which maythen be further reinforced by tamping at the tie ends.

The apparatus also is very useful when used in conjunction with ballastcleaning machines. When the ballast of an existing track is cleaned, thetrack is lifted by gripping the rails, which subjects the rail fasteningmeans to great stresses. With the apparatus of the invention, it is thenpossible to level the cleaned and replaced ballast and to tighten therail fastening means.

Many modifications of specific ballast plow means and rail fasteningworking tools may be used in conjunction with the apparatus of thepresent invention, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also,the apparatus may be self-propelled or form paft of a train, These andother obvious variations are within the scope of this invention which isdefined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A mobile track working apparatus arranged to move on the track in aselected working direction, the track comprising a succession of ties,two rails and ferrous rail fastening elements attaching the rails to theties, the apparatus comprising a mobile unit including a ballast plowmeans and tool means forworkingon the rail fastening elements, and acentral control means for actuating the plow and tool means and foradjusting their relative distance to each other.

2. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unitcomprises a common car frame whereon the ballast plow means and the toolmeans are mounted for common movement in the working direction, the carframe having a front and a rear running gear.

3. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plow meanscomprises a pair of vertically adjustable plows associated with arespective one of the rails, and the tool means comprises tools forconnecting or disconnecting the rail fastening elements of therespective rails, the plows and the tool means being mounted on andunderneath the car frame between the running gears.

4. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plows haveadjustable plowshares.

5. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 3, further comprising adrive motor means for the work- 10 8. The mobile track working apparatusof claim 7,

wherein a plow having adjustable plowshares and a tool for connecting ordisconnecting the rail fastening elements are associated with each rail,and further comprising a common guide rail for the plow and toolassociated with each rail, the guide rail extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being mounted on the underside of the car frame forlongitudinally adjustably supporting the plow and the tool foradjustment of the distance between the plow and tool as well asadjustment thereof in respect of the car frame in said direction.

9. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tool is adouble wrench for working on the fastening elements of two adjacent.ties simultaneously.

10. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 1,

further comprising means for propelling the unit in the selected workingdirection, and control means for synchronizing the movement of the unitalong the track with the operation of the plow and tool means.

11. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the plow means is selectively adjustable for plowing the ballastin the selected working direction, the tool means being spaced from theplow means in said direction and being positioned in front or rearwardlyof the plow means in dependence on said direction.

1. A mobile track working apparatus arranged to move on the track in aselected working direction, the track comprising a succession of ties,two rails and ferrous rail fastening elements attaching the rails to theties, the apparatus comprising a mobile unit including a ballast plowmeans and tool means for working on the rail fastening elements, and acentral control means for actuating the plow and tool means and foradjusting their relative distance to each other.
 2. The mobile trackworking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit comprises a common carframe whereon the ballast plow means and the tool means are mounted forcommon movement in the working direction, the car frame having a frontand a rear running gear.
 3. The mobile track working apparatus of claim2, wherein the plow means comprises a pair of vertically adjustableplows associated with a respective one of the rails, and the tool meanscomprises tools for connecting or disconnecting the rail fasteningelements of the respective rails, the plows and the tool means beingmounted on and underneath the car frame between the running gears. 4.The mobile track working apparatus of Claim 3, wherein the plows haveadjustable plowshares.
 5. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 3,further comprising a drive motor means for the working tools.
 6. Themobile track working apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plow means andthe tools means are transversely and longitudinally adjustably mountedon and in relation to the car frame.
 7. The mobile track workingapparatus of claim 6, further comprising a common operating stand forthe plow and tool means, the central control means being arranged at theoperating stand.
 8. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 7,wherein a plow having adjustable plowshares and a tool for connecting ordisconnecting the rail fastening elements are associated with each rail,and further comprising a common guide rail for the plow and toolassociated with each rail, the guide rail extending in the direction oftrack elongation and being mounted on the underside of the car frame forlongitudinally adjustably supporting the plow and the tool foradjustment of the distance between the plow and tool as well asadjustment thereof in respect of the car frame in said direction.
 9. Themobile track working apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tool is a doublewrench for working on the fastening elements of two adjacent tiessimultaneously.
 10. The mobile track working apparatus of claim 1,further comprising means for propelling the unit in the selected workingdirection, and control means for synchronizing the movement of the unitalong the track with the operation of the plow and tool means.
 11. Themobile track working apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plow means isselectively adjustable for plowing the ballast in the selected workingdirection, the tool means being spaced from the plow means in saiddirection and being positioned in front or rearwardly of the plow meansin dependence on said direction.